Location
The Nedlands campus (Lot 8235 Gordon Street, Nedlands) is bordered by Stirling Highway, Hampden Road, Clifton Street and Gordon Street, Nedlands. The main vehicle access entries are Clifton Street and Gordon Street, with additional access off Hampden Road (east).
The site borders a number of commercial and retail properties along Stirling Highway and Hampden Road to the west, north and east, but is predominantly a residential area to the north and east.
Some surrounding properties have recently been rezoned to accommodate higher density.
The University’s Nedlands campus was formerly the Nedlands Secondary Teachers College, which opened on 13 September 1969 and was operated by the Education Department.
With the passing of the Teacher Education Act 1972 the college became an autonomous body governed by a board, under the auspices of the Western Australian Teacher Education Authority. Under the Act, the college was renamed Western Australian Secondary Teachers College.
In 1990, UWA purchased the site and converted the facilities for use by its staff and students. The Nedlands campus currently hosts the schools of Design, Education and Population Health. It also has a childcare centre.
The 2020 UWA Crawley Campus Masterplan highlighted an urgent need for substantial investment in the Crawley/QEIIMC precinct to contemporise its campuses, including investments in IT infrastructure and digital transformation.
Opportunities to invest in the University’s future by consolidating activities to its main Crawley/QEIIMC precinct are being considered, allowing reinvestment of unlocked value from underperforming land assets.
The University has considered a variety of options for its Nedlands campus to ensure a comprehensive approach to planning for the future use of the site. These considerations include enhancing the connection between the Crawley campus and QEIIMC for students, staff and the community.
The site planning process will investigate a range of future uses including, but not limited to, educational uses, community and commercial uses, and student or residential development.
Any future plans for alternate uses of the Nedlands campus will respect the endowment of our forebears and our responsibility to the sustainability of the University by generating substantial, enduring educational, social and economic benefits to the Western Australian community.
The University recognises and respects the level of public interest in its landholdings and is committed to providing ongoing information and engaging local communities and relevant stakeholders to help consider potential future site uses for this landholding as planning progresses.
Future planning for the Nedlands campus will be undertaken with consideration of the City of Perth’s existing Precinct Planning process for the UWA/QEIIMC Activity Centre and with local and State planning authorities and government to ensure an aligned approach.
Why was the Nedlands campus identified for future planning and potential alternative use?
As part of its 2020 masterplanning process, the University considered a variety of options for its landholdings to ensure a comprehensive approach to planning for the future use of its sites and Crawley/QEIIMC precinct.
Opportunities to invest in the University’s future sustainability by optimising the use of its landholdings that are surplus to the main Crawley campus have been a key focus, with the Nedlands site being identified as a non-strategic asset that could release value for future investment in the core campus.
Has the site been acquired through an endowment?
No, the Nedlands site has not been acquired through endowments.
Are there any heritage listed buildings on the site?
The site has no heritage registration nor any buildings of heritage significance. The Nedlands campus buildings require significant investment if they are to be able to function in coming years to deliver a contemporary tertiary education experience.
What is the University’s commitment to planning for the future needs of future generations?
As outlined in the 2020 UWA Crawley Campus Masterplan, the University is focussed on ensuring the sustainability and growth of the University for decades to come. Any future plans for alternate uses for its surplus landholdings will respect the endowment of our forebears and our responsibility to the future sustainability of the University by generating substantial, enduring educational, social and economic benefits to the Western Australian community.
What are key considerations for the future planning of the Nedlands campus?
There are a number of key considerations in the planning and associated engagement process for the Nedlands campus. These include for example:
- Ensuring a comprehensive approach to planning for the future use of the site, that is informed by stakeholder and community engagement.
- Consideration of various potential future uses including educational purposes, community use, commercial use, student accommodation and residential development.
- Generating value from the site for the benefit of the University and its students and staff. Considerations include options to enhance the connection between the Crawley campus and QEIIMC for students, staff and the community.
- Integration with the surrounding precinct including key considerations such as buildings uses, traffic access, parking and building scale.
What is the proposed planning process for the Nedlands campus?
The University has decided to pursue a planning process to investigate potential alternative uses of the site. This process will involve the development of a plan to guide future use of the site.
An expert team of consultants has recently been appointed and they will provide advice to the University throughout this.
How will the planning for the Nedlands campus align with the City of Perth’s planning framework?
Future planning for the Nedlands campus will be undertaken with consideration of the City of Perth’s existing Precinct Planning process for the UWA/QEIIMC Activity Centre and with local and State planning authorities and government to ensure an aligned approach.
Is it proposed that staff and students will move from the Nedlands site to the Crawley/QEIIMC precinct?
This is a key consideration in the future planning for the site, however any decisions as to if, and when, students and staff will be moved to the Crawley/QEIIMC precinct have not been made and will be subject to the planning process for the site.
What will happen to the buildings, trees and amenities on the site?
This will be determined as part of the future site planning process. Decisions will also be informed by extensive stakeholder and community engagement.
What will happen to the childcare centre that is currently provided on the Nedlands campus?
The University recognises that childcare is an important service to UWA and the local community. The ongoing provision of childcare will be a key priority area of investigation in the planning process and associated community engagement that informs potential future uses of this site. Any future decisions regarding the site will be made in the medium-to-long-term, and following extensive community input.
What is the proposed timeline for the planning process for the Nedlands campus?
The time frame for the planning process will take several years with the earliest end date likely to occur during 2024. However, community and stakeholder engagement and input into the process will commence in early 2022.
What consultants has the University engaged to undertake this planning work?
The proposed planning process is complex and therefore the University has engaged an expert team of consultants to undertake a range of work to ensure a high quality planning outcome in the following areas:
- Project Management
- Town Planning
- Stakeholder and Community Engagement
- Urban Design
- Indigenous Context
- European Heritage
- Environment / Ecology
- Traffic and Transport
- Landscaping
- Infrastructure and Servicing
- Storm Water and Flooding
- Economics Impact
- Acoustics
Cultural Tour of Nedlands with Dr Richard Walley
Stakeholder and community engagement
The University recognises and respects the level of public interest in its landholdings and is committed to providing ongoing information and extensive stakeholder and community engagement to inform the planning process and decisions regarding the potential future use of the site.
The engagement process will include stakeholder meetings, focus groups, workshops and other methods of communication and engagement.
Community and stakeholder engagement and input into the process will commence in early 2022.
The University has engaged community engagement specialists Creating Communities to facilitate and report on all engagement activities.
The University commits to:
- Timely, authentic engagement with the UWA community and external stakeholders.
- Being responsive to stakeholder feedback.
- Being proactive, timely and honest with internal and external communications.
- Respecting our responsibility to the future sustainability of the University by generating substantial, enduring educational, social and economic benefits to the Western Australian community.
UWA is committed to broad engagement to help consider the planning process and decisions regarding the potential future use of the site. Stakeholders who will be invited to be involved in the engagement process include:
- UWA Staff
- UWA Students
- Members of UWA Convocation (including UWA graduates)
- Other site users
- Local residents
- Local community groups
- Local businesses
- Elected members and officers of local and state governments
- Other stakeholders identified during the engagement process
How can I be involved in the engagement process?
We encourage you to provide your details through the button below. When engagement activities commence we will email you with the details on how to register and be involved.